Proper solutions and procedures for key management are vital for both safety and security of persons living or working on campus as well as the physical assets too. Setting up procedures to standardise office key management with an effective system implemented by all cost centres involved will ensure duty of care responsibilities are upheld with ease.

Cost centres in a university can include the likes of the following where key management and duty of care fall onto the following personnel:

Department/Centre/Unit: Manager/Senior Manager
Faculty: Assistant Manager/Manager/Senior Manager
Hostel: Hostel Assistant Manager

If an office doesn’t fall into a specific cost centre, the duty of care of keys will usually be the responsibility of the senior officer.

University key management solutions will be required to store various types of keys in different locations with cabinet locking mechanisms and policies/systems in place to ensure smooth-running office key management.

The following types of keys can be categorised with secure key cabinet solutions as per the size/capacity of keys/hooks required. If vehicular key management cabinets are required, they can be categorised separately to accommodate the bulky key heads.

Reserve keys: These keys are duplicates to the keys used for daily use, crucial areas and vehicles, as well as those to the secure key cabinets. These keys should be in the custody of the security department for emergency usage only with the strict permission from the officer-in-charge. A mechanical locking system for this secure key cabinet would be recommended.

Daily keys: These keys include the office keys used often by the respective cost centre.

Crucial area keys: These include important keys that give access to crucial or high security areas and are categorised separately and accessible only by the respective officers in charge or with authorisation. A mechanical locking system for this secure key cabinet would be recommended.

Vehicle keys: These include keys used for vehicles carrying bulky key heads, which require more room for storage. A standard locking mechanism, with a signature strip and indexing system is recommended for use with a vehicle key cabinet solution.

Having classified your key management solutions by category of keys, it’s important that you also set out the rules and plan of execution in case of emergencies, as well as how the use of keys will occur and what will be required for office management to document responsibility/ownership.

Image: Telkee Key Cabinet 686 /450 Grey

Architecture & Design Team

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Telkee Key Cabinets

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